Uma warns to cancel peace meet
By ROMULUS MASIU
President of Me’ekamui council of chiefs, Chris Uma, says the planned reconciliation by Bougainville Copper Ltd (BCL) will not take place.
Mr Uma, who is one of the Me’ekamui Chiefs, gave the warning yesterday while blasting the BCL management and the board for failing to honour and respect the customs and traditions of the Bougainville people by proposing to pay for and host the traditional domang mingta or peace ceremony.
He said the proposed domang mingta is only reserved for high chiefs in the Bougainville society.
Mr Uma said by allowing this ceremony to proceed will set a very bad precedence in our society where any foreigner with money will buy his way back into our society and be forgiven after causing adverse disruptions to human lives.
“Let me put it bluntly, there will be no such ceremony by Bougainville Copper Limited here in Arawa or Buka and that is final,” he said in a press statement.
The council president said if BCL and its officers continue to disobey the orders by me and the traditional council of chiefs, they will not be welcomed here in Arawa and Bougainville.
The proposed bel kol reconciliation as agreed by both BCL and ABG officials is scheduled for July this year when BCL will compensate Bougainvilleans for destruction of properties and lives during the Bougainville crisis.
Mr Uma has warned Panguna landowners to stop breaking traditional customs for selfish and short-term cash benefits for themselves and think about those who lost their loved ones because of them (Panguna landowners) and the same company BCL.
He said if Panguna landowners continue with their plan, then the Me’ekamui Council of Chiefs will take action to protect the Bougainville society and custom.
Mr Uma further stated that the peace ceremony is a massive responsibility for all to partake, adding that Bougainville people are not the only ones who lost lives during the conflict, Papua New Guinean servicemen and ordinary Papua New Guineans were also killed during the height of the decade long conflict.
“Therefore, it’s only fitting that if we co-exist with the rest of PNG in peace now and for the future, the ceremony must be hosted by the Me’ekamui Chiefs and the National Government headed by Peter O’Neill,” Mr Uma said.
He said the ABG must play a leading role on the issue as it’s the peoples’ government, headed by ABG President John Momis, who takes his traditional role and participate as Bougainville Chief with the Bougainvilleans.
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